Connecticut continues to expand the
number of farmers’ market projects
accepting EBT. In 2004, only 5 markets
participated in the project. That number
grew to 11 markets during 2006, and 18
markets, with approximately 70
individual farmers participating during
2007. All the markets use wooden tokens
in $1.00 denominations with wired and
wireless Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals.
Overall redemptions were reported at
$3300 during the 2007 season, more than
doubled the previous year. CitySeed
Market operating four locations in New
Haven County since 2004 continues to
report the majority of redemptions. It
is expected that the 2008 season will
show even better results. Efforts in
outreach to EBT recipients include:
Department of Social Service (DSS)
and Connecticut Dept of Agriculture
websites
Multilingual Flyers distributed
by Food Stamp (FS) Outreach, FS
Nutrition Education providers, and
DSS offices
Multilingual Stuffers in daily
notices (those that are being sent
anyway – no special mailing)
Multilingual Banners to be
displayed at the markets
Multilingual Buttons for farmers
to wear that say they take EBT
Multilingual Displays for each
DSS office that include a colorful
poster that states EBT is accepted
at specified farmers’ markets,
including information concerning
days and hours of operation, and
various brochures
A display at the Capitol on
Agriculture Day to make legislators
aware that some markets accept EBT
Information distributed by
organizations such as CitySeed to
promote using FS at the markets
CT Dept of Agriculture
identifying markets that accept EBT
on their website and in their
farmers’ market brochure
Maine
The Lewiston Farmers’ Market uses $2
scrip and a traditional wired POS
terminal.
Massachusetts
Five markets in Massachusetts actively
participated in the Farmers’ Market
Pilot Program for the 2007 market season
all using wireless POS terminals. The
markets were Holyoke Farmers’ Market
(one location, using scrip), Federation
of Massachusetts Farmers Market (one
location, using tokens), Greater
Worcester (three locations, all using
receipts), Food Project Farmers’ Market
based in Lynn (four locations, three
using scrip and one tokens), and
Groundwork Lawrence Farmers’ Market (one
location, using receipts).
Massachusetts anticipates at least two additional
markets will participate in the Pilot
Program for the 2008 market season.
New York
The State’s Farmers’ Market Wireless EBT
Program is a partnership with the
Farmers Market Federation of NY, the NYS
Department of Agriculture and Markets,
and the NYS Office of Temporary and
Disability Assistance. In 2007, there
were approximately 56 markets accepting
EBT. New wireless terminals were no
longer issued to individual farmers and
vendors at farmers’ markets. Instead,
terminals were issued to markets where
the terminal was used at a central
location for the entire market. The
central terminal system allows for more
farmers and vendors to participate in a
more cost effective way. The markets are
issued wireless terminals and $1000 in
wooden tokens. The tokens are in $1.00
denominations and include serial numbers
and the market’s name for fraud
prevention and proper tracking.
Additionally, markets are issued a
series of issuance and redemption logs
to track daily token sales and returns,
weekly farmer redemption of tokens, and
a summary of farmer redemptions per
market. The Federation is responsible
for providing reimbursements and acts as
a liaison with the service provider to
assist with terminal functionality
issues and billings.
During 2007, EBT sales reported an increase of 52% since
2006. Sales also include New York City’s
Greenmarket, a program funded by the
City of New York. To assist in promoting
the program to food stamp recipients,
the Markets used the following community
organizations for promotion efforts:
Department of Social Services, local
community centers, Head Start schools,
City government, Cornell Cooperative
Extension, Eat Smart NY, NYC District
Public Health Offices, Office for Aging,
and WIC clinics. Additional efforts in
2008 include the creation of a media kit
to help farmers markets promote the
wireless program in their community.
Efforts are underway to replace and
maintenance the Linkpoint 9200 wireless
terminals because of reported battery
malfunctions and transmission delays.
Negotiations are also underway to
negotiate an agreement with a new
terminal provider for a more reliable
and durable wireless terminal.
Vermont
In
2007, Vermont piloted the use of EBT
equipment at farmers’ markets in
Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, and
Winooski. The three markets used
wireless commercial POS devices operated
by market managers, staff and volunteers
to convert EBT food stamp benefits into
$1 wooden tokens. The Northeast Organic
Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA)
received grant support for staffing and
outreach materials. To decrease the
stigma associated with only EBT
customers using tokens at the markets,
DCF and NOFA secured additional funds to
equip the markets to accept other debit
cards as well, converting those cash
resources to $5 wooden tokens. Despite
some temporary connectivity and
equipment problems, the project was
deemed successful, and funds were found
to expand to six additional markets for
the 2008 season.
Mid-Atlantic Region
District of Columbia
FNS
approved the following Farmers
Markets in the District of Columbia
to use the scrip system.
Bloomingdale Farmers Market located at 100 R St NE
Dupont Circle Freshfarm Market located at 1500 20th St NW
14 & U St Farmers Market located at 2000 14 St NW
H Street NE Freshfarm Market located at 624 H St NE
Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, located at Lamont and 17th St NW
Riverside Marketplace located at 5200 Foote St NE
Weaver Market located at RFK Stadium was authorized
Maryland
In June 2007, The Crossroads Farmers’
Market scrip project was approved by
FNS. There were 2 market locations in
Takoma Park, Maryland. The Crossroads
Farmers’ Market will be redeeming food
stamp benefits using a central wireless
POS device and $1 wooden tokens. The POS
terminal will also be used for credit
and debit transactions. All tokens were
stamped with the market name, serial
number, and the value of the token.
Tokens used for credit and debit
transactions will be clearly distinct
from those used for EBT.
FNS also approved the Fresh Check incentive program under a
demonstration authority through November
2009. Under the Fresh Check incentive
program, food stamp clients will receive
an additional fruit and vegetable
benefit (token) for a certain level of
EBT benefits spent.
FNS approved the following Farmers Markets in Maryland to use
the scrip system.
Silver Spring Freshfarm Market
located at 800 Ellsworth Dr, Silver
Spring
Takoma Park Farmers Market
located at 56927 Laurel Ave, Takoma
Park
Takoma Park Farmers Market
located at 7676 New Hampshire Ave,
Takoma Park
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did not
continue its wireless POS demonstration
project in 2007.
Southeast Region
South Carolina
South Carolina added an additional
market in North Charleston for a total
of eight markets for the 2007 growing
season. Total food stamp redemptions
were down for 2007 due to the drought
conditions. South Carolina EBT staff
participated in the Southeast Region
Farmers’ Market Farmer’s Market
Nutrition Program, a special Farmers’
Market promotion proclaimed by the
Governor and other outreach efforts.
Each Market was presented with a 2ft x
4ft banner with the message “We Accept
EBT Cards, Senior Checks, WIC Checks”.
Plans are to expand the number of
markets for 2008.
Southwest Region
Texas
The Texas Department of Agriculture
(which oversees farmers’ markets in
Texas) and the Texas Department of Human
Services (now the Texas Health and Human
Services Commission), Lone Star
Technology (EBT) conducted several pilot
programs during the 2002 growing season
to evaluate different methods of
enabling Lone Star card use in different
types of markets. The project has
successfully grown to include several
multi-stall farmers markets and many
individual produce stands statewide.
Multi-stall markets process Lone Star
transactions in a centralized business
location. Produce stands process the
transactions as individual certified
retailers, and operate both in
independent locations and within
multiple vendor markets including the
following:
The Lufkin Farmers’ Market in
Lufkin is in a permanent location,
and accepts the Texas EBT Lone Star
Card. This site has served as a
baseline for the other pilot sites.
The Ridgmar Farmers’ Market in
Ft. Worth currently processes the
Lone Star card transactions through
a central checkout location along
with Visa and MasterCard
transactions.
Sustainable Food Center’s Austin
Farmers’ Market in Austin is a
multi-vendor, producer-only farmers’
market, accepting Lone Star EBT at
its Saturday and Wednesday markets
using a wireless, battery powered
terminal operated at a central
location. Food Stamp benefits are
redeemed through a process utilizing
uniquely identified wooden tokens.
New Mexico
New Mexico had three farmers’ markets
using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
systems in 2007: the Silver City
Farmers’ Market, the Santa Fe Farmers’
Market, and the Pojoaque Valley Farmers’
Market. A fourth market, the Clovis
Farmers’ Market is slated to accept EBT
in June 2008 with an EBT only wireless
Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal. Silver
City and Santa Fe Farmers’ Markets are
using integrated wireless POS terminals
that can process both food stamp and
cash debit transactions. The Pojoaque
Valley Farmers’ Market is using a
traditional wired POS terminal to
process food stamp transactions.
Santa Fe and Silver City Farmers’ Markets use wooden
tokens for food stamp and debit
transactions. Wooden tokens are clearly
labeled to indicate if they are to be
used for eligible food only or if they
are cash tokens that can be used to buy
any product at the market.
Midwest Region
Illinois
Illinois had one farmers market, which
operated in Chicago. The Logan Square
Farmers Market operated on Sundays from
June to October. Using a wireless POS
device combined with a receipt system,
the eight vendors had about $100 in
monthly redemptions in 2007, their first
year of serving Food Stamp clients.
Indiana
The City of Bloomington Community
Farmers Market was the only Indiana
farmers’ market operating under the
demonstration project this year. The
market operated on Saturdays from April
through November and on Tuesdays from
June to September. A large market with
approximately 140 vendors, it had almost
$300 in monthly redemptions. 2007 was
its first year of operation in the Food
Stamp Program.
Michigan
Late in 2006 a fledgling Michigan
Farmers Market Association pulled
together a coalition of organizations
interested in expanding farmers’ market
services to the Food Stamp community.
Farm and food policy advocates joined
with the State Department of Human
Services, the State’s EBT vendor and FNS
regional and field staff to identify
barriers to farmers markets serving
Michigan Bridge card clients. The
Farmers Market Association hired a
project manager to spearhead the group;
and at a meeting in January 2007, with a
small amount of grant money, the group
prioritized their needs and set goals
for the year. Starting with improved
information resources about how markets
could participate in the demonstration,
the group went on to provide training
workshops, marketing assistance, and
wooden tokens to interested farmers
markets in the State. The result was a
dynamic expansion in participating
markets, growing from 2 markets in 2006
to 11 in 2007. Markets new to the
Program operated in Detroit, Grand
Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, Ypsilanti,
Sault Ste. Marie, Marquette, Fremont,
and Battle Creek. Markets in Muskegon
and Lansing that operated in 2006,
operated again in 2007. This exciting
growth resulted in almost $16,000 of
food stamp client redemptions, a 5 fold
growth from the previous year.
Approximately 180 vendors operated in
the 11 markets.
Minnesota
The Midtown Farmers’ market in
Minneapolis operated from May through
October on Saturdays and also opened on
Tuesdays starting in July. Using a scrip
system, the market had over $400 dollars
in Food Stamp client redemptions.
Ohio
A third farmers market operated in
Athens, Ohio in 2007, joining existing
participating markets in Toledo and
Cincinnati. The Athens market, using a
token system had an impressive first
year with over $5,000 in Food Stamp
client redemptions.
Wisconsin
Madison Wisconsin’s Northside Farmers
market participated again in 2007. The
30 vendors, operating from May to
October redeemed over $1,000 in food
stamp client sales.
Mountain Plains Region
Iowa
The Iowa Wireless Project began in June
2005 at three farmers’ markets with ten
farmers participating. The goal of the
project was to increase access to
farmers’ markets for the Food Assistance
population. After contacting other
states, the Iowa Department of Human
Services (DHS) chose to use wireless
point-of-sale (POS) devices. Iowa
farmers usually sell at multiple
farmers’ markets per week. By having the
farmers take their wireless POS to each
market that they sell at, DHS could
reach a greater number of Food
Assistance households.
In 2007, Iowa had 173 farmers’ markets across the
state. DHS had farmers using wireless
POS’ in approximately 103 markets across
the state. 160 farmers participated
during the peak of 2007. Several farmers
had multiple wireless devices. It was
common for family members to sell at two
different markets on the same day/same
time of the week.
DHS uses a varied approach in deploying the wireless
equipment: purchased equipment, rental
equipment, and ‘Free’ equipment. To
determine the device assigned to a
farmer, DHS looks at several criteria:
number of markets they sell at each
week; what type of products they sell,
and the number of months each year that
they sell items.
Depending on the type of equipment used
and whether it was purchased, rented or
‘free,’ DHS reimbursed the farmers for a
portion of the monthly fees. From June
2005 – October 2007, the Iowa Farm
Bureau reimbursed farmers for the
commercial transaction fees. Since the
project proved that farmers could
increase their income using the wireless
technology, Iowa Farm Bureau ended their
financial participation. Approximately,
20 farmers dropped out of the program
from Oct. 07 through Feb.08. The
farmers, who have dropped out, all had
minimal sales and would have likely
received a termination letter from DHS.
DHS continues to receive frequent calls
from farmers who wish to apply for the
project.
DHS has budgeted for a maximum of 167 wireless devices.
DHS reimburses the farmers for the
monthly wireless fee, statement fee, EBT
transaction fees and the monthly
minimum, if applicable. These are all
costs directly related to activating a
wireless device for EBT. In 2007, total
project costs were $378,004 including
$268,562 of outreach costs.
DHS designed a comprehensive outreach plan targeting
the Food Assistance households across
the state. There was a state-wide radio
and newspaper campaign, posters for
county DHS offices, flyers mailed twice
to all FA households, signage for all
participating farmers, bright-red aprons
for farmers promoting the program, color
books for children, activity bags for
children containing nutrition education
materials, targeted ads for some local
papers, bus signage, and plastic
shopping bags that farmers could use
when customers bought items.
Kansas
The Downtown Farmer’s Market in Lawrence
and the Kansas Grown Market in Wichita
continued to operate the wireless POS
machine in 2007. Market information
booths set up at each of these sites
allow consumers to use the Kansas Vision
and other debit cards to purchase
tokens, which are then used to purchase
items at the market.
2007 saw an increase in usage of the Vision card at
both Farmer’s Markets. The Lawrence
Market had $1,403 in food stamp
purchases in 2007 compared to $778 in
2006. The Wichita market had $635 in
food stamp purchases in 2007 compared to
$383 in 2006. Debit transactions also
increased at both Farmer’s Markets. The
Downtown Lawrence market had $1,006 in
2006 and $1,571 in 2007. Kansas Grown
increased their debit usage from $2,093
in 2006 to $3,880 in 2007. No additional
markets were added in 2007 due to
funding issues.
The State participated in this project with the
cooperation from the Kansas Department
of Aging and Kansas Rural Center. Other
partners involved with this initiative
include the Kansas Department of
Commerce, Kansas Department of
Agriculture, Kansas Department of Health
and Environment and Kansas State
University Research and Extension.
Western Region
Arizona
15 out of Arizona’s 53 farmers’ markets
are currently authorized to accept food
stamps. Seven wireless terminals are
operating at 13 of these markets, with
the remaining markets relying on tokens.
The Arizona Food and Agricultural Policy
Coalition conducts outreach with
farmers’ markets and has found that the
most significant barrier is the high
cost of replacing wireless processing
terminals due to equipment failure or
software upgrades. Several of Arizona’s
wireless terminals have been obsolete
since their markets began accepting EBT.
California
There are 52 farmers’ markets in
California that are authorized to accept
food stamps. These 52 markets have 118
locations throughout the State. 39 of
the State’s markets currently use a
wireless device (29 of which use scrip)
and the remaining 13 markets utilize a
wired device and scrip. Several welfare,
hunger and health advocates have become
involved in conducting outreach to
farmers and markets in their
communities, given their interest in
assisting low-income families with
greater access to fruits and vegetables.
One such organization, the Berkeley
Ecology Center, has been a valuable
resource and often works with the State
Agency to provide start-up information
to new markets. When feasible, the State
Agency contacts market managers directly
to discuss bringing EBT into their
markets.
Hawaii
There are two farmers’ markets in Hawaii
that are presently authorized to accept
food stamps—the Hilo Market on the
island of Hawaii and the People’s Open
Market on the island of Oahu. The Hilo
Farmers’ Market is a demonstration
project that began in 1998 and utilizes
the scrip system. At the People’s Open
Market, each vendor is certified by FNS
to accept food stamps and the majority
of authorized vendors use a manual
voucher system. There remain a number of
vendors at this market who are not
authorized due to resource constraints.
The State is currently working with FNS
to also implement a farmers’ market
project in Waianae by June 2008. Hawaii
has experienced challenges with bringing
additional markets on board, including
issues related to long-term
sustainability, keeping up with evolving
technology and funding for wireless EBT
devices.
Idaho
In
2006, FNS approved Idaho’s request to
start a demonstration project at Kuna
Farmers’ Market. This market has been
issuing scrip. EBT Specialists in Idaho
have created training materials for
market managers on how to apply for a
demonstration project and the steps
needed to accept EBT. They will soon be
contacting other farmers’ markets in
Idaho to promote their participation in
the Food Stamp Program.
Oregon
Oregon currently has 18 farmers markets
accepting food stamps. The markets use
tokens and a central POS terminal. 16
markets utilize a wireless POS terminal.
Washington
There are currently 24 farmers' markets
in Washington State authorized to accept
food stamps. Of the 24 markets, three
use wireless POS technology, two process
their transactions using a third-party
processor and the remaining 19 markets
are EBT-only. Regardless of how they
process EBT transactions, all of the
markets use some type of "scrip" system,
whether it be wooden tokens or paper
coupons. The State Agency has provided
markets with technical and certification
assistance and also negotiated with
their contractor to provide interested
farmers’ markets the opportunity to
lease a wireless POS machine at the
State’s expense. This year, the State
legislature passed a bill to assist
farmers and farmers’ markets with
obtaining wireless POS technology
capable of processing both EBT and
commercial credit/debit transactions.
The EBT program will provide funds
through the Washington State Farmers’
Market Association to purchase wireless
POS devices that will be distributed in
an equitable manner between urban and
rural markets.
